


Body and Bronze

by birdsofmalcontent



Category: Minecraft (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Betrayal, Betrayer!George, Blood and Injury, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Minecraft elements, Nightmares, No Smut, POV Alternating, POV First Person, Potions, Sapnotfound-centric, Sharing a Bed, Techno's on the SMP side, They/Them Pronouns for Eret (Video Blogging RPF), but not really, lowkey canon, they were best friends
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-18
Updated: 2021-02-21
Packaged: 2021-03-16 03:19:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 11,234
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28824348
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/birdsofmalcontent/pseuds/birdsofmalcontent
Summary: DISCONTINUEDSapnap and George have an Enemies-to-Friends-to-Lovers arc as they grapple with the fact that George betrayed SMP seven years ago for L'manberg.Dream has walls that he built years ago after George's betrayal, but Techno starts to break down those walls.**************Wilbur, Tommy, Tubbo, Fundy, George, and a few others are on the L'manberg side.Dream, Techno, Sapnap, Eret, Skeppy, Bad, and a few others are on the SMP side.The death system is a little weird; essentially, you can die an infinite amount of times, but it takes longer and longer for you to respawn every time.*************I'm just here to dole out some serotonin, dudes. Don't send hate, it's already been a hard year and I'm just trying to make the world a little nicer to live in.
Relationships: Clay | Dream & GeorgeNotFound & Sapnap (Video Blogging RPF), Clay | Dream/Technoblade (Video Blogging RPF), GeorgeNotFound/Sapnap (Video Blogging RPF), Minor or Background Relationship(s)
Comments: 17
Kudos: 255





	1. Chapter 1

(Sapnap)

"Come on, George, push me higher!" I had laughed, loving the touch of George's hands on my back as he pushed the swing as hard as he could.

"Sapnap, no! You're too heavy, the swing is going to break!" George laughed as well, and even though it wasn't too funny, we were having the time of our lives.

"It's not!" I replied before hearing a crack in the wood somewhere.

"Come on, get off before it crashes down and kills you!" George said, grabbing the ropes next to my sides and stopping my momentum.

"Don't want to be responsible today?" I teased.

"No, I just don't want to see you get hurt," George frowned, grabbing my wrist and pulling me off the swing. 

We were 11 at that time, innocent and happy and still best friends.

I don't think present George would care if I got hurt anymore.

How do I know?

This the first time we've spoken face to face in six years and his sword is currently aimed at my throat.

"Give me a good reason I shouldn't kill you right now." George's voice is smoother and more confident than the last time I saw him.

"Nostalgia? The fact that it'll start a full battle when Dream is informed I'm dead? Cause I'm too cute to be killed? Take your pick." Despite the fear I feel from the point of his blade on my skin, I think we should speak a little before he kills me.

"Good to hear you're as much of a narcissist as when we parted ways." His sneer scares me.

This is not the same George I was friends with.

This is the George who betrayed his nation, killed innocent people, and left me alone without a glance back.

And I hate him for it.

"Good to see you're still an evil piece of crap," I shot back, trying to get some kind of reaction out of him.

Nothing. His face is stone, eyes void of emotion. "I wouldn't insult the person holding a sword to your throat."

"Well, I'm feeling bold this morning."

"Find me a better reason not to kill you."

"You'll get blood all over your pretty little uniform?"

"You're not even worth the effort." George sighs, pulling back his sword.

"Low blow coming from a traitor." I scoot backward for safe measure and he doesn't follow with the blade. "Can I please go, now?"

When I went out to pick berries in the forest, I didn't expect to accidentally wander into L'manberg's borders, the ones that aren't inside the wall but are theirs nonetheless. I also didn't expect George to be out here as well, so really, this is all just a big misunderstanding.

"Get out of here before I change my mind," he hisses, and I scramble to my feet, retrieving my jacket that had been thrown close by and running off into the forest.

Dream looks upset when I get back, pacing up and down the library in the SMP house. When he sees me, there's a tiny hint of concern in his eyes. "Sapnap? Your neck is bleeding, what happened?"

I only then realize that there's a steady drip of blood flowing down my skin. I wipe some of it away with the sleeve of my sweater. "I saw George."

Dream's expression changes for half a second, then goes back to neutral. "Are you hurt?"

At first look, Dream is a harsh, uncaring leader who shows little emotion. In reality, Dream was just as hurt when George betrayed us as I was, but rather than coping with the emotions, he closed himself off from showing any signs of compassion or love toward other human beings. The steady, emotionless facade is great for battle but bad for any other situation.

I know, however, that Dream is genuinely concerned, even if he won't show it.

"No, no, just a little scratch." I gesture to my neck. "He decided not to kill me."

"How did this happen? Was he within our borders?"

"I was in the woods picking berries and accidentally stepped over the country line at some point. He was patrolling the trees and caught me in there." I look down at my feet, suddenly embarrassed by my stupidity.

"Our interactions are getting too close for comfort." Dream sighs. "I wish it were the old days when everyone wasn't fighting."

"Don't we all."

"Go pick berries in the woods on the East Border instead. They have no territory there." A hand is placed gently on my shoulder (I'm the only one he shows even the tiniest bit of affection to, which means it feels a little off) and a gentle smile comes to his face. "I can't lose you."

"I know." It feels good to hear that coming from Dream.

"Now go see if Eret can fix your wound a little bit. They're good with that type of thing."

I think of the times before the war, where we had every resource at hand and my throat could be healed by a drop of a healing potion. Now, with all the potions in the land within the borders of L'manberg, I'll have to heal the regular way.

Eret is flipping through a book in front of their base when I arrive. They look up at me with a smile when I'm close enough for conversation to begin. "What can I do for you, Sapnap?"

I tilt my chin up so Eret can see my cut. "Had a run-in with a L'manberg general in the woods when I was out picking berries, and despite me keeping my life, Dream still wants to make sure I'm fine."

"You don't seem to have lost much blood, so I can give you a bandaid and a snack and send you on your way."

Eret has chocolate chip cookies stacked neatly in a jar on the kitchen table and I grab one as I sit down in one of the oak chairs. They head to a separate room (the bathroom?) and come back with a bandage, a cloth, and a small bottle of alcohol.

"These are good," I comment as Eret gets to work with washing out my cut.

"Thanks. My-I make them every weekend so I have snacks for the week." Eret's concentration on tasks is nearly unmatched, and the sterilization of my injury is no exception. "Who was the general that attacked you?"

"It was George." Saying his name evokes emotions I don't recognize.

"He betrayed you guys in the same way I betrayed L'manberg, correct?" A drop of alcohol runs down my neck and soaks into the collar of my shirt.

"Yeah, that's the guy. Back-stabbing evil bastard, really, not just a guy."

"Sounds awful. I know Tubbo and Tommy were pretty torn when I left L'manberg, so I can kinda see where you're coming from."

"Do you still talk to them or did you just- completely cut off all contact with each other?" A sigh escapes my mouth as my brain wanders to the events of that day seven years ago. The thoughts leave just as quickly as they came, though, when the alcohol hits a particular spot and my neck stings.

"Sorry, but that has to happen for this to get cleaned," Eret says, noticing my wince. "We still talk sometimes, leave letters in secret locations for each other to find. I miss them."

"It's fine." I clench my fist as the stinging continues. "George and I haven't talked in seven years. I hate him, Eret."

"Rightfully so, after what Dream has told me." Eret wipes the excess alcohol off with the towel and gently presses a bandage over the wound. "There, all fixed up."

"Thanks, Eret." I stand, taking a breath.

"Don't let your hate consume you, Sapnap."

"I've spent the last six years not thinking about George, and it's not like I'm going to start doing it again."

"Good luck with that," Eret smiles.

George broke my trust, broke Dream, and betrayed the SMP.

Why would I ever want to think about him?


	2. Chapter 2

(Dream)

The meeting with Wilbur is something I have no desire to attend.

Tensions are always high when he and I are around each other, which is understandable. Two leaders of battling countries in the same room is never a good fit, but it's still something we must do.

Between our two nations, L'manberg and SMP, there's a section of free land that we've deemed "Safe Space". Treaties are written in the meeting house, meetups are arranged to occur in the wheat field, and no violence is allowed within the 2,915 square blocks.

After George and Sapnap's encounter yesterday, I almost don't want to see any of L'manberg's residents at all, even Tommy and Tubbo (they're always kind and Tubbo often trades honey from his bees for Eret's homemade bread).

Sapnap insists he's fine, but even hearing George's name...

"Dream?" A familiar voice interrupts my thoughts, and I realize the soup in front of me has gone cold by this point. I look up to see fluffy pink hair and a flowing red cape. 

"Yes, Techno?"

"Meeting with Wilbur tomorrow," Techno says, leaning against one of the quartz pillars.

I'm proud of those pillars. They may seem a little overkill, but ten deaths in the Nether were what it took to get them, so I put them up.

"I was just thinking about that."

"You did look like you were thinkin'." Techno's smile is charming, and I'm glad he's here with me. 

"I don't particularly want to go."

"Because of George?"

"Yeah." I lay my head down on the table with a groan. "I miss the old days."

"Everyone does, Dream." Techno steps forward, placing a hand on my shoulder, and for some reason, I let him. The touch shoots electricity through my body, but it's not unwanted electricity. "Things change, though."

"Will you come with me?" I ask, sitting up again and glancing back at Techno. He removes his hand.

"Sure. Now, eat your soup and get some sleep, I don't want you at low health when we're so close to the enemies." A gentler smile on his lips this time, one of compassion rather than charm. 

"I have a spare bed if you don't want to go all the way back to your base-" I say before realizing it.

"I know that and was just about to ask if I could. The pink one or the cyan one?"

"The pink one, it's actually prepared to your liking."

Did I hope Techno would stay?

Yes.

I like his company.

A blush on his cheeks appears, something I didn't expect. "Thank you."

"It's no problem." I stand, taking the bowl of soup with me and placing it in the food chest. "Complain to Eret if you don't like it."

"Eret decorated it?"

"Eret helped, it was mostly me."

"Then I'm sure I'll hate it if you were the one who did it," Techno teases.

Again, I like his company.

I nod to him as I walk past him towards the stairs. "Goodnight, Technoblade."

"We're using full names? Alright then, goodnight, Dreamwastaken."

The next morning, I'm awoken to the smell of fresh bread and gentle whistling wafting through my house.

Techno is working in the kitchen, slicing apples and whistling a tune I don't recognize. He smiles when he sees me in the doorway. "Morning."

"You didn't have to do this."

"I know that, but I was hungry and it felt wrong to only make food for myself when I'm staying at someone else's home.

I've worked so hard at not showing any sort of friendship to people except for Sapnap, but here Techno is, cooking food for us in my kitchen, and I can't help but like him a little bit more.

"Do you have your horse with you?" I ask as he finishes with the apple slices and dumps the cores into the hopper for compost.

"Haven't decided which one I'm takin' yet. The one with me is too slow and doesn't jump well."

Techno never pronounces the 'g' at the end of verbs.

"Go get a good one, then."

"After breakfast."

We eat mostly in silence, enjoying the presence of each other. Despite Sapanp being my best friend, Techno is effectively my right-hand man and has been since the start of the war.

Techno brings a black horse back from his home. I choose Lemon, a white horse with a speckly back and a taste for carrots.

"Off we go," Techno says, our packs full and our minds racing.

Wilbur already stands in the meeting house when Techno and I arrive and tie our horses to the outside fence posts. His arms are crossed and there's a smirk on his face like he knows something we don't. I didn't expect him to come alone. "Good morning, boys."

"Good morning." I sit down in a chair around the table. Techno takes the seat next to me and Wilbur sits across from us. "Your lackeys aren't here to protect you?"

"I trust you enough not to badly maim me on peaceful ground. Besides, I have soldiers in the surrounding forests if anything does go south."

"In the same way George almost killed Sapnap three days ago?" My fist clenches under the table, but I quickly relax.

"That was a blip, something that wouldn't happen if Sapnap had stayed in his own territory."

"I don't want it to happen again, even if it was just a blip. We've agreed not to fight during peaceful times, and the death of one of my best men will start a full war."

"Then keep him in your own forest." Wilbur grits his teeth, a habit he has for whenever he's annoyed.

"This is a mutual agreement, Wilbur," I say, trying hard to slow my breathing. Just thinking about George and the possibility of him killing Sapnap has me immediately on edge.

Techno shifts, moving a fraction closer to me, our thighs only a few inches apart. He's warm and it's comforting to be so close.

"Fine." Wilbur leans back in his chair, arms crossing and eyes narrowed. "I promise that George will not kill Sapnap as long as everyone is following the rules."

"Good enough." A sigh escapes me rather than the growl I want to let out. "Now let's talk about trade."

Techno has to make our thighs touch when Wilbur gets pushy about the price of hay bales (a diamond per stack? a bale stack was worth two emeralds at most) and it shuts me up immediately.

Never have I touched someone like that, barely making any physical contact with even Sapnap.

It's an incredible feeling.

While I process the pressure of our legs pressed together, Wilbur and Techno continue the conversation. Techno is calm throughout the whole thing, stone-faced as he negotiates trade between the two nations. I think they could be friends if they were on the same side, their personalities naturally reacting with each other.

Wilbur is the first to leave, riding on his tawny stead in the opposite direction we need to go.

My body longs for Techno's touch, and without prompting, the desire is fulfilled when he grabs my hand when we're done packing our steads. "You did good, Dream."

"Thanks-" My breath catches in the back of my throat.

It's just Techno. Why does his hand feel so soft and good in my hand?

"Now, don't go about havin' a mental breakdown on me now," he says, glancing to my pink cheeks. "Especially when we're not in our own borders."

"Alright." I take a deep breath as our hands release.

"Now, breathe before you pass out and get on your horse. I need to get to Callahan's house before sundown and I don't want to leave you behind."

I want to hold Technoblade's hand more often.


	3. Chapter 3

(George)

Sapnap's eyes, the moment I saw the fear flash through them, haven't gotten out of my head since the moment happened three days ago.

Every time I focus on something else, my mind wanders back to him.

I didn't like the fear in them. 

They're too pretty to be afraid.

No, no, I can't think like that anymore. We're enemies, I betrayed him, he hates me, he thinks I hate him, he'll never even consider a friendship let alone anything else...

I spend days in the wheat fields, harvesting and replanting, harvesting and replanting, and nights in the forests, patroling for mobs that mean harm to L'manberg. It's slowly getting repetitive, and my hands are itching for another battle.

"Do you think it'll be soon, Tommy?" I ask him as we stop to eat lunch.

"I don't know, George. I think it depends on what Wilbur wants at the moment."

Tommy looks tired this afternoon, more so than usual. Worn down, almost, too exhausted for a boy of his age. Because Tommy is just a kid, no matter how much he hates being called one, and kids don't belong in wars.

"We should call it a day," I say, realizing both of us need a few hours off.

"Yeah, we should." Tommy raises his arms above his head in a stretch, cracking his knuckles as he does so. "I'll go find Tubbo, he might need help with the bees."

"And I'll go to Fundy?"

"Sounds good, big man."

We part ways, Tommy towards Tubbo's bee fields and I towards The Torch.

Fundy and Niki are inside, Niki strumming on her guitar while Fundy plays along on his piano. Their voices mixing together is calming, despite the fact that Fundy's a little out of tune and Niki keeps giggling.

"I thought you were in the fields today," Fundy says when he notices I'm standing in the doorway.

"Tommy and I decided to take the afternoon off."

Niki pats the edge of the seat next to her with a smile. "Come sing with us, George."

"I can't sing," I say, sitting down reluctantly.

"Then you can hum along." Niki's smile is so kind that I almost just do it, start singing along with them despite my awful voice. Instead, self-control takes over and I shake my head.

"I'll just listen to you two."

I only get to listen to two songs, however, because Wilbur bursts through the door, looking anxious and excited, and demands my presence immediately.

Tommy is already in Wilbur's office when we arrive, which I'm not surprised at. He's cleaned himself up, healed the cuts on his legs with a potion and changed out of his work clothes back into his Uniform. I realize I'm still in my dirty shirt and jeans.

"What do you need from us, big man?" Tommy asks as I sit down in the chair next to him and Wilbur sits down in his large office chair on the other side of the desk.

"I've observed something," Wilbur says, fingers tapping on the wood of his desk. "I have reason to believe that Techno will be the piece to help us win this once and for all."

"Techno? As in Technoblade?" I ask.

I've only seen Technoblade in person once. He came to SMP after I had left, a hunter from a far-off land, and immediately joined the ranks under Dream's command. I fought him in a battle nearly 10 months ago, our swords clashing twice before he put his through my belly and I died for the first time. Techno spoke no words, just ran off to the next man he would kill without mercy.

"Yes, as in Technoblade. I think he and Dream may be closer than we first thought."

"What do you mean?" Tommy asks.

"I believe they may be- romantically involved."

"Really?" I raise my eyebrows, knowing Dream and knowing he would never want to be tied down by a significant other.

Maybe he's changed... it's been years since we've spoken as friends.

"The problem is, my dear gentlemen, is that I have no proof that they actually are involved. I am, however, aware that one of us may be able to figure it out." Wilbur twists his chair so he's facing directly at me. "George, I need you to form an alliance."

"With SMP?" I ask in disbelief. "They hate me!"

"I sense you'll be able to reform your friendship with Sapnap quickly, though not with Dream around." Wilbur smiles. "The woods are a good place for you two to meet, are they not?"

"Wilbur, last time we spoke, I nearly sliced his head off." I run a hand through my hair. "Sapnap hates me as well, I know that for a fact. He's never going to even think about an alliance."

"I understand that he may hate you now, but you can talk to him, try to make friends like you're so good at doing. You're a good liar, George, I've witnessed that first-hand and I trust that you can manipulate Sapnap enough to get some useful information."

I want to say no to Wilbur, because I do care about Sapnap, but I have no choice. Wilbur's the leader, he knows what's good for L'manberg. "Alright."

"Fantastic. Now, you must not tell him that you're working for me specifically; he won't trust you if you do. Make up some story about how you want to come back to SMP, maybe. Make him like you."

"I know how to manipulate people, Wilbur, I've done it before."

"Good. I suggest making a sort of meeting house in the woods between the two countries; I'm sure he'll feel safe there."

Great. Building and manipulation were not what I had planned for today. "Is there a good place I can find him right now?"

"He's in the woods east of SMP. Bring your daggers instead of your sword."

There it is, that's our plan.

Make friends with Sapnap. Gather information so we can win this war. 

What can go wrong?


	4. Chapter 4

(Sapnap)

Dream told me to go into the woods on the east side of SMP, far away from L'manberg, specifically to avoid George.

Yet there George is, sword at his hip and looking lost and confused.

He doesn't see me at first, just seems to be wandering around the forest. His hands occasionally graze the trunks of the trees like he's reminiscing about something.

Maybe he's remembering the days when we were still friends, when he hadn't been a traitor to his country, when the war wasn't ripping us further and further apart.

I draw my own sword, swinging the bag of resources I've gathered (mostly leather, berries, and apples) over my shoulder so it's out of the way and staying behind an oak tree to figure out what I'm going to do.

"You've got two seconds to explain why you're so far outside of your borders before I kill you," I say finally, stepping out from behind the tree with my sword raised in a manner similar to how his was when he threatened me.

"Sapnap!" George exclaims, eyes flashing with surprise.

I don't trust him in the least. He's probably here to lure me into some kind of trap.

"Explain yourself or I'm killing you in ten seconds."

Dying is no fun, and it gets worse the more it happens. The respawn process takes longer and longer the more you die, the higher your count becomes. I know for a fact that George's count is to at least 5, which means his next respawn will take a few months.

"I'm not here to hurt anyone." George's hands come up and he's practically cowering.

I've never seen him look this vulnerable, even when we were little. "You're too far from your borders to have gotten lost. Why are you here?"

"I'm actually here to see you."

My eyes widen automatically and a growl comes from deep in my throat. "To kill me?"

"To talk to you."

I start counting down, hoping it'll get some answers out of him. "Ten."

"Sapnap," it hurts when he says my name, "I'm unarmed and not here to hurt you. I just want to talk."

"Then talk."

"I- I'm sorry." George's hands drop to his sides.

"For?" I don't really want to hear his explanation, but I will.

"For everything." A sigh escapes his mouth when he finally makes eye contact with me. "For betraying SMP, for hurting you and Dream, for getting so far away from you that I lost you."

"If you're trying to make up for the last eight years, it's not going to work," I hiss. 

I want to think that he's lying, that this is some kind of trap that's going to get me into a hostage situation (or worse, actually kill me).

"Did I really hurt you that bad?"

"Dream is so closed off to people that he barely speaks about anything other than the war."

"Oh." There's surprise in his voice. "I didn't know that."

"You hurt both of us, George. You killed us and ran off to the opposite side without so much as an explanation as to why you suddenly had a change of heart. That hurt, and I don't think you realize that." My hand is shaking, I hate it when it does that. 

"I know. I know that, and that's why I'm here. Because I'm sorry, Sapnap, I'm so sorry. Betraying you was the biggest mistake of my life, and I've regretted it every day since I did it."

"Again, doesn't make up for the past eight years."

"I understand that. I just- I need your help, Sapnap."

"My help?" I exclaim, insides clenching in both fear, disgust, and amusement. "Like some kind of allyship?"

"Yeah, something like that."

"You have a thousand other people in L'manberg to help you."

"I want you, though."

I sigh. Our eyes are still locked, and he doesn't look insincere at all. "What would you need my help with?"

"Wilbur wants me to get an Ender Eye," he says quietly. 

"Alone?"

"Alone."

Getting an Ender Eye... that's a death sentence with everyone's name on it. Going to the Nether seals your fate as soon as you step on the obsidian in the real world. No man should have to do it alone, no matter how much I hate them. 

"What would be in it for me?"

"Do you actually need something or would you just help me?"

"You're pushing it here, I haven't even said that I'll help you."

"Anything you want that I can offer."

I bite my lip, thinking for a moment of what resources we need from L'manberg before deciding. "Alchemy materials, then. Books and ghast tears and bottles and a brewing stand. I want to brew potions."

I can tell George searches my face, which I keep as steady as possible. "I can do that, especially if we're going into the Nether."

"Fine."

"Really?" He's more expressive than I remember, eyes showing every little bit of emotion as he speaks. 

Maybe he's just trying to be as transparent with me as possible, though. I still don't trust him, but I can't just let him die. 

Why can't I just let him die? I could have denied him completely, gone home having helped the war efforts. If one of L'manberg's best generals were dead and gone for a few months, it would weaken the country and we would have the advantage. 

But it would be wrong to let him go on a suicide mission alone when he doesn't deserve it. 

"Yeah."

"Thank you." George smiles and takes a step forward like he's going to come and hug me. He doesn't, just stops walking and sizes me up with his gaze instead. "Meet back here tomorrow evening for planning the trip?"

"Yeah."

We're in a clearing, really, or maybe the trees are just more spaced-out in this part of the woods. Either way, it seems like the kind of place I'll be able to remember. 

"I've got the coords of this place if you want them," George says. 

I narrow my eyes. "Why do you have the coords?"

"I didn't mean to meet you in this exact spot, if that's what you're implying." A piece of worn, yellowed leather emerges from his pack. "The maps track our movements and have a live coord calculator on them."

We have no such technology in SMP (though Dream's knack for redstone is far superior to what L'manberg has pulled off), but I can't tell him that. "That's cool."

"It is." He slips the map back into his bag. "I should be going now, Wilbur gets mad if I'm not within the gates of the city on time."

"Okay," I say, because what else am I supposed to say?

"Bye, Sapnap, and thank you." He smiles for half a second, then turns and disappears into the trees, dirt and leaves swirling up as he runs. 

I missed him.


	5. Chapter 5

(Dream)

Techno continues to sleep in my guest room.

I'm not sure why, but eventually, he doesn't even have to use an excuse to do so, just bids me goodnight and retires alone.

I wish that he would not retire alone, but instead keep me company during the long nights as winter falls over SMP.

I do wake up screaming sometimes, my sleep plagued by images of bloodied bodies, sometimes of my victims and sometimes of my friends. Sapnap's eyes, lifelessly staring up at me, burn themselves into my brain every night as I desperately try to slow my rapid heartbeat.

The night Techno joins the bodies on the floor in my nightmare, he rushes to my side in real life.

"Dream?" I'm awake and sitting up by the time my door is open, Techno's robe flowing behind him like his red cape does in the day.

I don't say anything, just trying to slow my breathing. My body shakes and tears run down my cheeks.

Techno sits down on my bed gingerly, obviously wanting to comfort me but unsure of how to do so. "Dream?"

I'm crying, I haven't cried in front of anyone in more than a decade, but I can't stop.

Without really thinking about it, I lean forward into Techno's chest, burying my face in his neck and wrapping my arms around him. He hesitates for a moment before hugging me back.

His hand runs up and down my back as my sobs slowly fade out into rough breathing and my body stops shaking. His breath flows past my ear as he whispers and hums, calming me down.

When I'm quiet and calm again, Techno moves to stand but I grab onto him. "Would it be okay if you stayed?"

There's hesitation in his eyes before he makes a decision. "Yeah." He shifts so we're laying down instead of sitting, my head resting on his chest as I listen to his heartbeat. "Are you going to be alright?"

"Think so," I murmur, already falling back asleep. Techno's arms are beautifully warm against my body, holding us flush together.

As soon as Techno moves one hand to my hair and starts running his fingers against my scalp, I'm asleep again. 

In the morning, I realize that I was touching Techno all night and he didn't remove himself.

I didn't move either.

Sapnap called me "touch-starved" once. With no one to trust (except a best friend whose boundaries have been obvious since we met 13 years ago), it's impossible to get close enough to people to touch them. Not even sex, just general contact: hand-holding, hugs, even accidental stuff.

I must've been so sleep-deprived and upset that I ignored the electricity.

Techno isn't the most affectionate person, at least to most people. Maybe to me, he's a little warmer, softer in his words and gentler in his intentions.

Actually, he's more affectionate this morning, giving gentle brushes on my waist and soft smiles when we move past each other as we ready ourselves for the day.

The electricity is there but it's less overwhelming and more comforting.

Each touch feels good, and if he's okay with it, then I am as well. 

Sapnap comes into the house uninvited but not unwelcome, visibly surprised to see Techno in the kitchen, but he doesn't say anything about it, just sits nervously on one of my stools and waits until I'm ready to talk to him.

"What do you need?" I ask when I'm finally dressed and washed enough to have a conversation.

"George found me in the woods last night."

"Are you okay?" I'm instantly more awake, more alert. He doesn't look hurt, but the black jacket he always wears covers most of his skin.

"Yeah, yeah, he didn't hurt me..." Sapnap looks terrified. "He wants me to help him."

"With what?" Techno asks, taking the stool just behind me, close enough so I can feel his warmth on my back. 

"Wilbur wants him to make an Ender Eye."

"Why does Wilbur need an Ender Eye?" I ask, suddenly very concerned. 

Years ago, warriors vanquished the original dragon in the End and mounted her egg on a grand pedestal in the center of the foreign dimension. When our countries broke out in war, L'manberg stole away the egg, claiming that it would be the last-ditch option, if all else failed. 

If Wilbur gets the Ender Dragon, she would surely destroy SMP and probably end the war, and I can't let that happen. 

"I don't know, George didn't tell me." A sigh escapes his mouth and it hurts to watch him. He seems so- upset and confused. 

I'm upset as well. "George has no business asking you to do something like that. He's hurt us enough, and I can't lose you for the next six months because you're helping our ex-best friend with a task that will directly benefit the opposite side of this war."

"I- he sounded and looked so scared, Dream."

"Have you considered the fact that this is probably a trap?" Techno asks. 

"I'm sure it is, but-"

"No 'buts', Sapnap. You should stay as far away from him as possible. George has proven that he'll bring us nothing but pain, and as I said, I can't lose you for that long. The Nether means death and you can't risk that." My hand is shaking, maybe out of stress or anger or the pain that I've been forced to feel for the past eight years. 

Techno puts his hand on my shoulder and it immediately shuts me up, so he speaks to Sapnap. "What Dream is tryin' to say is that he cares a lot about you and he's still really angry at George, so you probably shouldn't go and try to help him with anything."

Another sigh from Sapnap. He won't meet our eyes, just stares down at his fidgeting hands and keeps his face as stoic as possible. "Thanks for the advice, guys. I have to go now."

"Just be careful," I say as Sapnap stands and leaves through the front door. 

"He's not gonna listen to you," Techno observes, hand still on my shoulder. 

"I felt like his dad there for a second," I bring my own hand to place atop Techno's. He sucks in a sharp breath but doesn't pull away, instead squeezing my shoulder a little tighter. "George isn't good for him, isn't good for any of us."

"Sapnap's an adult, he can make his own decisions."

"Now I really feel like his dad."

I met Sapnap's dad once, years ago. It was a few weeks after we had first met, and Sapnap dragged me to his house to meet his parents. His dad was warm and kind and his mom was anxious about everything her son did. 

They died at the beginning of the war, along with George's parents and my dad (my mom lost her 25th and final life to save me from a creeper when I was two months old). 

We were only thirteen at the time, and it was just us against the world. Me, Sapnap, and George, thrown into war too young and only sure of one thing: our companionship with each other. 

Obviously, that didn't last. 

"Trust him a little bit," Techno suggests. His hand is still under mine. "He's gonna be okay."

"Yeah, I hope so." I glance back at Techno, see the gentle smile on his face and the kind look in his eyes, and I realize that this is what I need right now. 

We're close enough to kiss, but I feel like that's too much, too fast. 

"Dream?"

"Yeah?"

"It's okay."

I nod and give a hum in response. 

"Now, I'm gonna make you eat some breakfast and then we're gonna talk trade plans. Sound good?"

"Yeah."

"Good. Now, where do you keep the sugar?"


	6. Chapter 6

(Sapnap)

I meet George in the woods.

Like I said before, I can't let him die.

Maybe it will be a trap and Wilbur will be waiting to kidnap me and hold me for ransom.

But maybe it's not and George genuinely needs my help.

I take my good armor just in case, the heavily-enchanted diamond set that I make sure is kept in good condition, and the best sword I have (Sharpness to the fourth degree! Mending! Looting!)

I'm surprised to find a birch structure in the woods in place of the clearing from last night. George is leaning against the outside wall of it when I emerge from the trees, looking nervous and eating a piece of bread. "Hi."

"Hi." My hand hovers over my sword, casually enough that George doesn't notice it.

"I thought I'd build us a meeting house of sorts, a place to convene so we didn't have to sit on the ground if we wanted to talk about stuff." I didn't realize that he'd still bite his lip when he's nervous.

I want him to bite his lip more often...

Where the hell did that come from?

"Yeah, yeah, good idea."

"I can show you inside if you want," George says, pushing himself off the wall and taking a few steps forward.

In a different time, I think he would take my hand and lead me around, but that's not what's going to happen.

I nod and follow him quietly through the jungle wood door and into a small living area. There are two furnaces on one wall, along with a crafting table and a double chest. A couch sits in the middle of the room and a bookshelf sits on another wall. A soft white carpet sits in front of the couch. Two doorways lead off into separate rooms. 

"That one leads to your room," George says, pointing to the door on the left. "I felt like we should have our own spaces as well. There's a chest and a bed if you need them, and a bookshelf and desk. All the alchemy stuff is in a bag in the chest."

I'm a little speechless, honestly. It's not a dramatic build at all, but it's well put together and he did a good job. "Thanks."

"It's no problem." A nod and a smile. 

I've missed being with him, honestly. It's been so long, but my mind is happy to be in the same room as each other again, able to just talk to him after seven years. 

"So, uh, what's our plan?" I ask, grabbing the strap of my satchel so I'm ready to take it off at any moment. 

"Oh, I- Wilbur told me there's an Enderman spawner in this world."

I raise my eyebrows. "Is that even possible?"

"They're so rare that I didn't believe it either, but I think there's a book in here that details it, both the location and its origin. It'll be easier to find the spawner than fight the Endermen individually."

Endermen spawners don't exist, do they? I've never heard of one before. Dream said they were a myth. 

One will be helpful, though. Endermen are dangerous, strong enough and fast enough to kill people before they know what's happening. 

"You can put your armor on the stand in your room, we won't be needing it."

"I don't think I will..." I trail off, seeing a title on the bookshelf that catches my eye. "Is that an original copy of Alex's book?"

"One of them, yeah." George nods, stepping forward and removing the book from the shelf. The Ins and Outs of the New World by Alex M.C. looks up at us in dusty silver letters on the green cover. "Wilbur's dad knew her, I think."

"Woah."

"Yeah." Maybe he would laugh here, if we were closer, but he doesn't, just bites his lip and clears his throat. "We should probably start researching."

"Good idea."

"There's a desk for you in your room."

"You mentioned that."

"Okay."

George goes through the door on the right and shuts it behind him. 

Shouldn't we be collaborating with this?

We're still enemies. We still hate each other. 

Why am I here?

Because I can't let him die. 

Simple orange bed, red carpet, chest, desk, cactus in a flowerpot, bookshelves with years of World History in them, a lantern hanging from the ceiling, and a torch on the wall. Small window. Birch door. Empty armor stand. 

Dream and Techno would have fits if they could get their hands on this information. 

I'm the one to find the coordinates of the Endermen spawner after an hour of pouring over every book on the shelves. It's completely dark by then, inky blackness washing over the world outside and bringing out the monsters, and I'm suddenly thankful for the walls surrounding us. 

"That's hundreds of blocks away," George says when he sees the coords. 

"A few days' journey at least," I muse. 

"We could make sure there's no need for us to stay in our countries, take a couple of horses and make it a whole trip."

"We're supposed to be enemies, George, and enemies don't go on road trips together." It's like he's forgotten how badly he messed up all those years ago. 

We're supposed to hate each other. 

"But you said you would help me." He frowns, tries to pull a sad face but fails; he doesn't look upset enough.

"I can't just up and leave, especially since Dream and Techno specifically said to not come here and see you."

"Oh?"

"I didn't tell you? Dream doesn't know I'm here, probably just thinks I'm still at my house asleep." 

"Then... there's a village close to this, you could tell him you're going on a diplomatic journey by yourself."

"George, we're supposed to hate each other."

"You keep saying that. "Supposed to be". Why aren't you saying that we are enemies, that we do hate each other?" 

"Because- I don't know why." My eyes drop from his to my hands. "Because I'm not supposed to be here."

"Then why are you here?"

Because I can't let you die. 

I don't say it out loud, just shrug my shoulders and shake my head. 

"I can't do this without you, Sap."

The nickname hurts, takes me back to when we were little, when we didn't care about anything and just played in the forest, acted as knights and kings and all the monsters we were afraid of. Memories of laughter leave a strange taste in my mouth, like a lemon I once loved the taste of but can't stand anymore. 

"I understand that, but I shouldn't be doing this."

"Obviously you aren't completely opposed to it, because you haven't killed me yet and you're still here and talking to me."

"That doesn't mean I'm completely 100% with you on this. I shouldn't be here, shouldn't be helping you, shouldn't even be talking to you." 

"I know that."

"Good." I take a breath, realize that I'm glaring at George and my fist is clenched tight. 

"I just- want your help, that's all." He sounds resigned, almost sad, and his eyes actually look upset this time. 

"Yeah, I get that."

"If you don't want to be here, you can leave and I can find someone else-"

"No, no, I'll stay."

I can't let him die.

"Okay. Ummm, when do you want to do this?"

"Not sure."

"We can leave in two days?"

"That'll probably work."

"Bring a- a horse and some food and whatever armor you want and probably your best sword." George is staring at the ground. "And a tent and a bed and whatever else you need."

"I know how to pack for a journey, George," I say, crossing my arms. 

"Yeah..." He trails off, meets my eyes once more. "Just making sure we'll be prepared."

"We will be."

"I know."

We'll be prepared. 

I can't let him die.


	7. Chapter 7

(George)

Trying to get an Ender Eye is a pretty awful excuse to get closer to someone, especially since it's so dangerous, but if we have one for L'manberg, it'll benefit our side greatly.

The fact that Sapnap trusts me enough to come on a suicide mission is strange, but it's making my job of spying on him significantly easier. Even without prompting, he tells me about life in SMP, talks about how much he loves living there and how hard the war has been on everyone.

It feels good to hear about Dream again, even if it's minimal. Sapnap holds his tongue about Dream, which makes my work more difficult, but it makes sense. I betrayed Dream, I betrayed Sapnap, and I still don't particularly deserve to be around them.

I'm around Sapnap, though, so maybe that doesn't mean as much anymore.

We leave for the coordinates two days after our agreement to go. Sapnap brings a horse named the same as he's named every horse since we were kids: Cash. I take Bandit, a gentle horse who's technically Tubbo's but he lets me borrow her.

While we're riding through the woods, Sapnap stays mostly quiet, seemingly lost in his own thoughts. I wonder what he's thinking but don't ask.

By chance we stumble upon an abandoned witch's hut as the sun begins to go down on the first night. Out of respect for his privacy, I crawl up onto the roof and set up my bedding up there while Sapnap sleeps in the hut itself. It's thankfully not too cold, so I don't get too cold.

"Why are you helping me, exactly?" I ask when we're packing up in the morning.

"I've been asking myself the same thing." Sapnap tightens the pack on Cash's back as I take a drink from my water bottle. "Don't know the answer yet."

"Oh."

That's the end of our conversation, and really all conversation for the rest of our ride.

We arrive at the village just before sundown, the fading light glowing against the buildings prettily. It's an acacia village, all in grays and oranges and yellows, and the villagers match the buildings.

"Is there an inn here that we can stay at?" I ask one of the villagers, a farming man with a wide-brimmed straw hat.

"Two buildings down," he points, speaking in an accent that's different than ours.

"Thank you."

I follow Sapnap to said building, leading the horses behind us.

He gets us a room with two single beds and leads me up to it. The horses go into the inn's stables.

It's a quaint little room, with a little desk and a decorative rug. I take the bed closer to the window that overlooks the town, flopping onto the soft mattress. "I'm guessing we'll be finding the spawner tomorrow?"

"Yeah. Riding on horseback always tires me out for some reason, so I'm just going to sleep." Sapnap crashes onto his own bed, facedown in the pillow. "We can die tomorrow, don't worry."

"You're really going to sleep and leaving me all alone?" I say jokingly.

"You left me alone eight years ago, I think you'll be fine for one night."

Ouch. I thought we were getting somewhere, but maybe not.

"Sorry," I murmur, realizing I probably shouldn't talk anymore. He is tired, after all, and still probably really hates me.

"Night," Sapnap says.

"Goodnight."

I lean over and blow out the torch between us, leaving the room in pitch darkness.

I thought we were making progress.

Why is he here if he still hates me so much?

************

We're up early in the morning, Sapnap not really talking to me at all except in little mumbles of "good morning" and "where's my other sock". He dons a shining metal chestplate of some kind under his shirt, one that somehow disappears and blends in with his skin. It doesn't look heavy at all, which fascinates me.

Bandit and Cash, in contrast to us, are getting along fantastically, not bickering at all when they get close to each other since they were kept in the same stall all night. The stable hand says they behaved well, too, which is good to hear, and I slip him an extra gold nugget for his hard work.

"Where are we off to, exactly?" Sapnap asks as we slowly make our way through town, past villagers on foot and other people on horseback.

I glance down at my lap where the compass and map are balanced. It's not a very good map, just a drawing of the map that I copied out of the book, but it's adequate enough and the correct coordinates are on everything. "200 blocks to the South East, then to the top of a mountain."

"Top of a mountain?"

"Yeah, enderman spawners only spawn at the hearts of big mountains if at all, and the spawner is labeled to be at the top of a mountain, so that's where we're going."

"I've never climbed a mountain before," Sapnap muses,

"Neither have I."

My brain shifts to memories of scrambling up sandhills with Sapnap and Dream, racing them to see who would get to the top first. I smile a little at the thought, then remember that that isn't what we need right now.

"Point us in the right direction, then," Sapnap says, and I don't look up at him. We're past the last house in the village now, both horses stopped as I consult the directions.

"This way," I point, a little to the left of the sun.

I take the lead, Bandit expertly moving through the grassy plains of the surrounding biome. Tubbo says she's always been good at cross-country riding, and it's obvious in the confidence she portrays as she walks. Cash seems to be less confident and skilled, trailing close behind Bandit, but that might just be Sapnap following close behind me instead.

It takes us only forty five minutes to reach the base of the mountain. I can see that there's snow closer to the peak and a slim trail leading up to it.

"Should we leave them here?" I ask, motioning to the horses.

"Probably. Do you have a good lead?"

"Two of them, yeah." I pull both lengths of rope out of my pack. "Do you think they'll be fine?"

"Hostile mobs don't attack non-hostile ones unless provoked, and I doubt the horses will do anything to provoke an attack." Sapnap gets off the horse, feet landing gracefully on the dry earth. "They'll be fine."

"Do you have llamas in SMP?" I ask, sliding off of Bandit and tying the lead around her halter. She waits patiently, not nipping at me like some of the other horses would. Wilbur's horse Kevin would definitely bite me.

"A couple. Skeppy and Bad have matching ones, and I think Techno has one somewhere, though I wouldn't be surprised if he's accidentally left it somewhere. He has a tendency to do that." Sapnap smiles to himself as he takes the other lead from me. "Dream swears up and down that he's gonna go out one day to find all the pets that Techno's lost and leave them all in his base."

"Are Dream and Techno close?" I ask, trying to sound nonchalant.

"They work well together, and I think they're able to talk to each other about stuff that us 'mortals'," Sapnap scoffs, "can't really relate to."

"Dream still hasn't died yet?"

"Not once. Neither has Techno. It's kinda weird, honestly."

Dream used to have a reputation of Not Dying, and apparently, he still upholds that.

"Do you think they're close? Like, romantically close?"

"Why would you wanna know?" Something changes in his voice.

I have to come up with an excuse fast. "Just wanted to know if Dream finally got off his high horse and realized falling in love is a natural thing."

"Nope." He pops the 'p'. "Won't even so much as check out someone attractive."

"Weird."

"Yeah." Sapnap fashions a small enclosure for Cash and Bandit, leading both of them in. "Get what supplies you need from her, since we're not gonna be back here for a while."

"You say that like we're leaving them for days on end."

"I don't know how long this is gonna take!" He protests. "They've got grass aplenty so they'll probably fine."

I grab my satchel, sword, and a couple miscellaneous stuff (flint and steel, extra cloak, etc.) Sapnap gets his bow and arrows, slinging both the weapon over his back and his own satchel over his shoulder.

My mind wanders. I stop it before it can do anything irreversible.

No. That's not why we're here, nor can I ever even think of initiating something like that.

"Lead the way." Sapnap motions to the mountain. I give one final pat to Bandit and start walking, closing the gate behind me.

It's a long and difficult journey, L'manburg has barely any mountains so my lungs are not used to going pretty much straight up, and the rocks around us are slippery under my boots.

More than once, Sapnap reaches out to steady me so I don't faceplant, and I have to ignore the feeling of his hand on my arm again.

Two hours feels like years but we finally reach the top of the trail, where it fizzles out into nothingness. The mountain is a plateau, acacia trees and tall grass spreading out across the dry dirt.

And there's- nothing there. It's completely natural, unterraformed and lacking human-made structures.

"What the hell?" Sapnap says. He's not breathing as hard as I am, seemingly more accustomed to the trials of mountain climbing. "These are the coords, right?"

I glance down at the compass and map, then at the little machine that can pinpoint coords down to the correct chunk. "Yeah, this is where we're supposed to be."

"Then where the hell is it?" As he walks around, scanning for any sign of a spawner or anything else, he cracks his knuckles, and dear gods, that's a feeling I do not need right now.

Crack.

"What was that?" I ask as the sound echoes out across the plateau.

"I don't know?" Sapnap's eyes widen.

Another crack.

One moment, Sapnap is staring at me a couple of blocks away, and the next, he's plummeting downwards and screaming my name.


	8. Chapter 8

(George)

"Sapnap? Sapnap, oh my god, Sapnap?"

I run forward and am met with a hole almost six feet wide and so deep I can't see the bottom. It seems like a tube of some sort, like someone dug down and covered it up as a trap.

"Sapnap?" I yell into the hole.

"George?" Sapnap's voice calls, echoing around the chasm and quieter than it should be.

"Are you alright? What happened?"

"I- I think I fell. My ankle is hurt, I think, and I- I can't sit up."

"Oh my god, Sapnap, I'm coming to help." I look around, biting my lip and trying to figure out what I can use to get down there without dying.

"Do you have ladders?"

"Ummm, no, but I've got- I've got a few blocks that I can use as steps."

"Wait, no, George, there's- there's a ladder! On the wall, can you see it?"

I scan the walls slowly, searching for the tell-tale rungs of a ladder, and finally see them on the opposite side of the hole. They're worn and dirty, but they seem sturdy enough that they'll support my journey.

"I'm coming down, Sapnap, just wait there," I call as I slowly start my descent.

"Not like I can go anywhere else," Sapnap calls back sarcastically.

(Sapnap)

Oh, yeah, great idea to fall down a giant hole.

I've seen people make traps like that before, balancing sand over a chasm and waiting for unsuspecting enemies to crash in, likely to their deaths.

How I'm not dead, I don't know, but I do know that it would really put a damper on our whole adventure thing.

Looking at my surroundings, I'm in some sort of lit-up cave. It's been dug out and there's a path of polished granite that slopes behind me and to the left. There's no ore in sight, just smooth, unmined stone, and a faint buzzing sound is coming from the direction of the continuing path.

"Sapnap, are you alright?"

"My ankle is not but I'm not dead if that's what you're asking."

"Okay, good. Wow, I don't think I could live with your death on my conscience." George talks as he begins shimmying down the ladder. "Like, I employ you to help me with a dangerous task and then you die? That would be awful!"

"Aww, George, would you miss me?"

"I would, actually," he grumbles. A creak rings out through the cavern, but George's body doesn't come crashing down next to me. "Can you stand?"

"Maybe?" I roll myself over onto my knees, carefully not hitting my ankle against anything. It's already swollen and throbbing but I don't really feel any pain.

As soon as I've gotten myself in a standing position, I put my foot down and take a step. It doesn't hurt at all, nor does the rest of my body. I'm covered in sand, though, and my ankle is purple, so that's probably not a good sign.

"Oh, Sap, you're bleeding." George finishes sliding down the ladder and lands next to me, looking me up and down. "And your shoulder is dislocated. How are you standing?"

"I'm- I'm not sure, honestly. Nothing hurts." I notice for the first time that my right arm is hanging at my side dumbly and at a different angle than it usually does.

"Are you in shock?" George places a gentle hand on my shoulder. I haven't ever seen him look this concerned.

"Maybe. Hopefully there's some health potions close to the spawner?"

"Yeah... are you okay?"

"As much as I can be. Now come on, we have a job to do."

Why am I here, why did I agree to this, why did I come and try to help George when I can die myself?

"Maybe we should wait here for a bit so you can heal a little."

"No, no, we can go."

"Sapnap, I think your ankle is broken and you're probably in shock. Come on, sit down for a minute."

"Seriously, I'm fine."

"No, no you're not. Think about it, we're on our way to endermen, and think about all the stories you've heard about those. If you're low on health, you could die, Sap, and I can't have that happen."

"Oh." I bite my lip, realizing that yeah, I am in shock since I just fell a hundred feet into a hole, and yeah, I'm probably not ready to fight one of the most dangerous mobs to exist anytime soon.

"Yeah. Now, I've got some steak in my pack and a few bandages. Figure out the rest of the damage on you, I'm sure one of your bones is broken somewhere." George places his bag on the ground in front of him and begins to rifle through it, searching for the supplies he wants. "Sapnap, please sit down, you're scaring me."

I sit down against the cave wall, stone cool against my bare arms. I still don't feel any pain and that's starting to freak me out.

"You've got a gash on your face," George says, crouching down in front of me. He hands me a piece of steak and starts inspecting my ankle.

I reach my hand up to my cheek and it comes back red. There's still no pain.

"You really can't feel this?" George asks, gently holding my foot up. His fingers rest across the purpled skin, but there's still no feeling.

"I really can't."

"Oh, Sap." George sighs, rolling up my pants slowly. My ankle is way more swollen than it should be. "I'm sorry."

"Woah, why are you apologizing? None of this is your fault. It was a trap, dude, and there was no way we could have seen that coming."

"I suppose... can you breathe okay?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Cause you might have a broken rib!"

I take a deep breath just to prove a point and something feels weird in my torso. Not bad, not painful, just... weird. "What's a broken rib supposed to feel like?"

"Bad? I don't know, I've never broken a rib before." George continues looking over my ankle before coming to a decision and looking up at me. "I can wrap your ankle, I don't think it's broken, but I'm going to have to pop your shoulder back into place."

"Oh." I furrow my eyebrows. "That doesn't sound fun."

"It won't be. I've done it to Wilbur before and it's not pretty." George takes a deep breath. "I wonder if that pain is going to throw you back into reality. Not that I wish pain on you, just- shock isn't great when you're on an adventure."

"Yeah, I suppose not."

"Cool. Now, please lay on your back."

I do as he says, shifting so I'm laying flat against the stone floor. My arm lays at my side until George carefully grabs my wrist, positions himself over me, and starts to move the arm upwards. 

"What's gonna happen?"

"Well, you're going to relax and I'm going to slowly move this upwards and pull on it until it slides back into place." George's eyes dart around and his tongue comes out to lick his bottom lip in concentration. A remarkably unnecessary heat flares in my stomach at the movement as I watch his face, and he meets my eyes to glare at me. "Sap, I told you to relax."

"Sorry," I reply, letting out as much of the tension in my body as I can. There doesn't seem to be much of it, but George is completely in control of my arm, which I think is mostly the point.

"Are you feeling anything?" George asks after a moment. My arm is across from my bellybutton now.

"No."

"Alright. Sorry about this, then."

"Sorry about what?"

George tugs a little and pulls my arm so it's past my shoulders.

Something shifts, the pain comes back, and I pass out.

Whoops. 

(George)

I'm almost not surprised Sapnap passes out.

He never had a high tolerance for pain, but this was further than I've ever seen him hurt besides the time I saw him die.

As I look at him and wait for him to wake up (when a minute has passed I'll make sure he's conscious again), the memory of watching him die for the first time flits across my brain.

It was back when we were little kids; I was barely past my tenth birthday and Sapnap was fast-approaching his eighth. It was just the two of us playing out in the woods behind my house, since Dream had been at sparring practice or horseback riding lessons or whatever he did in the afternoons (how he survived with all his activities, I do not know).

We had been exploring and frolicking like little kids do, climbing trees and collecting rocks and brandishing sticks at each other as though we were swords. The two of us (the three of us) often played "Knights and Princes", and we had been arguing over who would be which character while we bounced in a particularly high oak tree.

Sapnap's shoe has slid off the branch he was on, and with one hand gripping a stick and a complete loss of balance, his head cracked against the branch and he toppled to the ground.

Nothing was in slow motion. I heard the thunk of his body hitting the ground and I watched as his skin immediately turned grey and I could do nothing about it.

That's the one and only time I've hyperventilated. He was only gone for a day (it was his first death), but running to tell his and my parents was the most terrifying thing I've ever done. They were kind and soft, making sure to tell me it wasn't my fault, that they didn't hate me for it, but I shut myself in my room and made a vow to myself that I would always try to protect Sapnap.

I failed that vow when I went with L'manberg and Wilbur rather than he and Dream.

I failed that vow again today. I know it's not my fault he fell in the sand trap, but I still feel guilty for dragging him out here.

Note to self: stop listening to Wilbur. I almost got my ex-bestfriend killed for the second time and I'm no closer to figuring out any useful information about Dream and Technoblade.

Sapnap lets out a groan that snaps me out of my thoughts.

"Hey, how ya feeling?"

"Did I pass out?"

"Yeah, you did."

"Shit." Sapnap groans again as he moves around a little. "I've got feeling again."

"Do you wanna rest here for a while?"

"Yeah, yeah, that'll be nice. I'm gonna go back to sleep."

I pull the extra cloak out of my pack and prop it under his head. He hums appreciatively and closes his eyes again. "Thanks, Georgie."

Wow, I haven't heard that nickname in years. It feels comfortable and kind.

He's asleep a moment later, and I give him a gentle smile.

At least I could help a little.


	9. END

Hello children. 

I started this book months ago, in a time where it was much closer to the SMP canon than it is now. 

Because I did no writing for it during the entire month of December, I have lost motivation for it and will not be continuing it. It is not my best work and I have realized I don't like writing in First Person POV at all, especially for fanfiction. 

To give you a quick summary of what I had planned out: 

George and Sapnap successfully kill the Enderman and don't Die Trying. They still hold their anger towards each other until George finally snaps, pushes Sapnap against a wall, and kisses him. 

Dream and Techno are happy together and kiss eventually. 

Wilbur had a weird plot to kidnap either Dream or Techno, then use their relationship to gain leverage against Dream's side of the war. 

The whole thing was poorly-planned and didn't have much of a direction when I started it. It was also hard to continue it, even in the early weeks of it, and I've accepted that I am no longer working on it. 

If anyone wanted to continue the story...?

Hope y'all understand. 

Go read "Calloway University", "Nethermire", or my oneshots to see more of my work. 

Much love,

birdsofmalcontent


End file.
